Odd title I know, but growers go by the week of the year, so since I am a flower grower, this week is week two. Or, it is just a good title this week. Another note that has absolutely NOTHING to do with flowers. Tonight is one of the most clear nights we have had for ever it seems and the stars are amazing. Now onto flowers.
It has been a busy week here at the farm, hard work with some mighty procrastination going on. I should be working on my business plan, ordering seeds, working on seed scheduling, but no. I have been doing fun things outside because it was unusually warm and clear of snow. Steve and I got new beds built in the high tunnel and filled with compost. That is huge off the to-do list. So now, the beds are ready for the cool flowers and the ranunculus and anemones when it comes time to plant them.
The tulips are looking good and are in their 12th week in the flower cooler so in another two weeks the first of the crates will be pulled into the dirty room for the growing on, which will take about another 4 weeks, soooo, we should have beautiful tulip flowers by mid February when some color will do our souls good.
I am slowly gearing up, thinking and dreaming flowers. I am looking forward to some home grown flowers and color. I find it important to grow flowers that are good for for the birds and the pollinators and no chemicals are used on the property. The flowers are fed with fish emulsion and compost from the farm. Hedgerows are being planted for the wildlife and for me to be able to cut from and I don’t till the flower beds at either end of the season building up the soil health but am trying to leave the property in a good healthy way. All this takes time and work, but I strongly feel that this is the best management practice I can do at the time. So, unlike the flowers that are shipped in from overseas, these flowers you can safely handle and sniff the perfume. And you are supporting a local flower farmer.
I leave you with this quote from a fellow flower member. “Without the knowledge of the struggle….The joy of the bloom is diminished”…. Thank you Kathy Guyer. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.
Until next week. Allie